Behind the Camera

I’ve been Friendship Church’s video specialist for over two years now and one thing that’s unique about this church is its story. Most churches that I’ve attended don’t tell or don’t know their history or story. What I found is that since Friendship is still a relatively young church, a lot of the founders of this church are still around to share their stories.

The main videos that I make for Friendship Church are what are known as “Ministry Spotlights.” They’re basically promo videos for the different ministries and events that Friendship Church sponsors. Doing these videos week after week has made me realize how active and busy this congregation is with anything from MOPS to Service Projects to Mission Trip meetings. (This is all pre-COVID by the way.) It’s inspiring how active and passionate people are to start new ministries and join them. People aren’t just checking in once a week, they’re actively looking to live out their faith in God through these events and ministries.

A video series that I’ve started doing this year is a series called “Faith Stories.” These are testimony videos that are told and presented in a more cinematic format and are my favorite videos to make because I love telling people’s stories in a visually creative way. One thing I ask myself when making these videos is, “Why are people willing to open up and tell about their personal experience on camera?” I’m grateful every time someone agrees to do a Faith Story video, but I wonder about that question. I think it’s because people at Friendship Church have a story to tell and they know that sharing their story may help someone grow in their faith with God.

One of the videos that I’m most proud of is the 40th Anniversary Documentary. Friendship Church celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2019 and had a big celebration for reaching that milestone. As part of the celebration, I directed, filmed, and edited a 10-minute documentary that chronicled the many milestones that Friendship Church has reached over the years. Two of the founding families were interviewed on camera and the history they recounted definitely brought today’s Friendship Church into perspective. Having that first-hand knowledge to the history of this church is so valuable. Having that first-hand knowledge to the history of this church is so valuable, as it helps bind the community of fellowship we have at Friendship Church.

Making all these videos, whether a Ministry Spotlight or a Faith Story, requires more than just a camera, a microphone, and some lights; it also requires trust and building relationships. Filmmaking is such a collaborative craft because it’s almost impossible for just one person to do it by themselves. That trust is what allows people to collaborate with me and feel safe in making themselves vulnerable on camera. I do my best with every video I make and in turn, people know that I want to portray them in a positive light, and help them bring glory to God.

The people of Friendship Church have a story to tell and are not afraid to share it. With Friendship’s welcoming nature and warm personality, there will be more stories to tell in the years to come; and I’m looking forward to using the opportunities that Friendship has given me to share what God has done and to help direct people to Him from behind the camera.